Where to park at the State Fair

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The North Carolina State Fair crams a lot of fun onto 344 acres in west Raleigh, but getting there can be a challenge.

Those headed to the State Fairgrounds should be prepared for heavy traffic in the area when the fair opens at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Free parking is available on fairgrounds property as well as lots at Carter-Finley Stadium and PNC Arena. But those lots fill up quickly.

Fair manager Wesley Wyatt says the best way to enjoy the fair is to leave the driving to somebody else.

“We're still encouraging mass transit, we have dedicated bus parking, bus drop-off points for the public, so mass transit is definitely the easiest and least stressful way to get to the fair,” Wyatt said.

The fair also has several new park-and-ride locations around the Triangle, and Amtrak has a special train stop at the fairgrounds.

One of the busiest intersections is Hillsborough Street at Blue Ridge Road, which includes a complicated railroad crossing.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has a plan to run Blue Ridge Road under the railroad and Hillsborough Street. But that project is at least five years away.

“That will certainly help traffic movement around here. Not just during the fair but year-round,” Wyatt said.